Yes, it's Full of Nonsense, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Self-Help Jargon. Yet I Truly Cherish Meghan's Christmas Special.
No concerned with the time of year, it's always hunting season for criticism on the Duchess of Sussex's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Commentators, expert and amateur alike, have rarely been so united as when enthusiastically shredding the program's first and second seasons to shreds. The prevailing view was that a more egregious regal scandal had seldom occurred than the much-discussed pretzel-bagging incident.
Now, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she has returned with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (aka a holiday episode). However on this occasion, things have shifted. The standard components viewers are accustomed to – vague self-help platitudes, extreme hosting – are still present, but set of a holiday show, it all clicks into place. The pieces have fallen together; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan resembles the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – providing random tips, and delivering the odd random outburst. ("I love spinach!" … "A tradition has to have a beginning." … "A tree is part of my memory and love of the holiday season.") She's quite a personality, but her aura is known and strangely comforting. And she looks content; she's not doing a bit of damage.
She knows her each tiny facial movement, word and look will be picked apart and judged, but nonetheless looks relaxed and remarkably at ease.
It could be this is the only time in history where that old chestnut – "Ignore them, they're just jealous" – may well be true. The reason is, in all honesty, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is charming. Yes, it's all painfully excessive, nonsense and over the top – but is that not just what the holiday season is for? And the talk she's talking might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking appears to be shop-bought.
Whatever she sets her mind to, she executes with flair. Her cooking looks tasty, the festive decoration she crafts is gorgeous, her gifts are nearly too beautiful to tear into. Nothing is mediocre or ugly – even the way she ties her apron is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a meal in the oven, it "takes a twirl", and she wraps gift paper like an craft master. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself from start to finish. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, filled with festive joy and left with a intense desire for handmade crackers or a crudites platter where broccoli is positioned in the form of a festive circle?
Meghan used to pretend for a living, obviously, but nonetheless, after the level of examination she has weathered from the moment she became involved with Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would find it hard to appear this authentically. Her refusal to alter or even soften her persona, even though it being so constantly, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our unpredictable world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will stay true to form, no matter what. We will consistently know where we are with her.
If you're remaining skeptical of her brand, a thought that will surely come as a comfort: you aren't required to. There isn't the draft in this country, and if there were, it would be unlikely to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, on the other hand, you willingly check it out and are gripped with jealousy about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a duchess or a office worker, few children completely grasps the time and energy their parent expends in December. So you can take heart by picturing the young royals' faces when they open a handwritten message that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a DIY festive calendar, in place of a sweet treat.
